I think this is an informative post and it is very beneficial and knowledgeable. Therefore, I would like to thank you for the endeavors that you have made in writing this article. All the content is absolutely well-researched. Thanks...

The Department of Housing and Urban Development late last week
filed a formal housing discrimination complaint against Facebook, accusing the
social networking giant of allowing companies to exclude certain groups of
people from seeing their advertisements.

HUD says Facebook violated
the Fair Housing Act when it gave advertisers a host of filtering options based
on multiple demographic markers. For instance, landlords or mortgage companies
could elect not to show their ads to residents in certain ZIP codes, or those
who expressed interest in religious topics. Additionally, according to HUD,
companies could choose to prevent people classified as showing interest in
specific racial or ethnic groups — including “Latin America,” “China,” and
“Somalia” — from viewing their content.

“The
Fair Housing Act prohibits housing discrimination, including those who might
limit or deny housing options with a click of a mouse,” Anna María Farías,
HUD’s assistant secretary for fair housing and equal opportunity, said in a
Friday statement announcing the move. “When Facebook uses the vast amount of
personal data it collects to help advertisers to discriminate, it’s the same as
slamming the door in someone’s face.”

At
the same time, HUD noted that Facebook promotes its platform as ideal for
housing-related companies. Under the Fair Housing Act, however, firms cannot
discriminate against people based on race, religion, gender, or family status
in any dealings related to housing transactions, including print and digital
ads.

The
move comes as Facebook has become a go-to social networking service for older
Americans. Earlier this year, the Pew Research Center finding that 65% of adultsbetween the ages of 50 and 64 use the platform, as well as 41% of Americans
aged 65 and older. For comparison, just 10% of 65-and-older survey respondents
said they used Instagram, with 3% for Snapchat and 8% for Twitter.

The
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York also supported
HUD’s action, filing a statement of interest in district court; Facebook faces
several private lawsuits over issues with its advertising platform.

HUD’s
action takes the form of a “Secretary-Initiated Complaint,” under which the
department will conduct an investigation and potentially file a formal
discrimination charge.

“Throughout
the process, HUD will seek conciliation and voluntary resolution,” the
department noted. “Charges may be resolved through settlement, through referral
to the Department of Justice, or through an administrative determination.”

I think this is an informative post and it is very beneficial and knowledgeable. Therefore, I would like to thank you for the endeavors that you have made in writing this article. All the content is absolutely well-researched. Thanks... Alexjohn - 2018-12-20 04:11